1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:03,000 Speaker 1: Levels to This is an iHeart women's sports production in 2 00:00:03,080 --> 00:00:06,080 Speaker 1: partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find 3 00:00:06,160 --> 00:00:09,520 Speaker 1: us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 4 00:00:09,600 --> 00:00:14,680 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. 5 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,560 Speaker 2: Good morning or good afternoon. I don't know what time 6 00:00:17,600 --> 00:00:20,119 Speaker 2: it is. I am still on East Coast time, so 7 00:00:20,239 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 2: in my head it's afternoon, but it could very well 8 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:22,920 Speaker 2: be morning. 9 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:23,599 Speaker 3: But we're here. 10 00:00:23,720 --> 00:00:27,200 Speaker 2: Give a round, a boss for yourself. Thank you for here, 11 00:00:27,320 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 2: Thank you for being here. I am Tureka Foster Brasby, 12 00:00:31,360 --> 00:00:35,200 Speaker 2: host of the Levels to This podcast, and I am excited. 13 00:00:34,680 --> 00:00:35,320 Speaker 3: To have. 14 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,520 Speaker 2: Because I was getting ready to say it and I said, 15 00:00:40,560 --> 00:00:42,120 Speaker 2: oh no, she wants to introduce herself. 16 00:00:44,560 --> 00:00:47,120 Speaker 4: I'm Christina Williams. I'm a host of In case you 17 00:00:47,159 --> 00:00:48,920 Speaker 4: miss It with Christina Williams. 18 00:00:49,280 --> 00:00:50,559 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, So. 19 00:00:51,360 --> 00:00:53,520 Speaker 5: I'm not even gonna let you look at me because 20 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:54,280 Speaker 5: I'm getting the eyes. 21 00:00:54,760 --> 00:00:57,720 Speaker 1: And I am Cheryl Swoops, I co host Levels to 22 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:00,920 Speaker 1: This with the one and only Terrika cost to Brass. 23 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:08,280 Speaker 2: The time champion, the three time Olympia. Don't play on 24 00:01:08,360 --> 00:01:09,160 Speaker 2: her name, y'all. 25 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:09,920 Speaker 3: DoD you know who she is? 26 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:11,200 Speaker 6: Do you know who? 27 00:01:12,840 --> 00:01:15,520 Speaker 2: We're very excited to be here today at NBA All 28 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,120 Speaker 2: Star We are looking for a good day of fun 29 00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:21,600 Speaker 2: and a good day of excitement for the fans. But 30 00:01:21,680 --> 00:01:23,360 Speaker 2: you know what, I'll be the first to tell you 31 00:01:23,400 --> 00:01:28,800 Speaker 2: guys that sometimes it is incredibly difficult to be in 32 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:34,800 Speaker 2: these spaces because you have moments where people recognize you. 33 00:01:34,920 --> 00:01:37,720 Speaker 2: They recognize you from the podcast, they recognize you from 34 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,280 Speaker 2: the different things that you do. I know you guys 35 00:01:40,280 --> 00:01:42,120 Speaker 2: have people who recognize you all the time. And there 36 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 2: are moments where you're like, you know what, I just 37 00:01:44,120 --> 00:01:45,760 Speaker 2: kind of want to chill a little bit, right, Like 38 00:01:45,800 --> 00:01:47,480 Speaker 2: I want to have a drink, I want to kick back, 39 00:01:47,560 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 2: put my feet up, dance a little bit, shake a 40 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:52,080 Speaker 2: little something something. And then there are times where it's 41 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 2: like you feel like maybe you can't do that because 42 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 2: you don't want people who see you or envision you 43 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:01,840 Speaker 2: in a certain way to then look at you differently 44 00:02:01,920 --> 00:02:04,840 Speaker 2: or have things to say because they only see you 45 00:02:04,880 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 2: a certain way and they don't give you an opportunity 46 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:09,440 Speaker 2: to kind of be yourself and enjoy yourself. And so 47 00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 2: today we're kind of going to talk a little bit 48 00:02:11,160 --> 00:02:15,560 Speaker 2: about what it means to balance being who you are 49 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: and what you do, and how those two things are 50 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:24,720 Speaker 2: completely separate. And Christina, I'm going to start with you 51 00:02:25,360 --> 00:02:29,600 Speaker 2: because we had a moment recently where we were like, Hey, 52 00:02:29,639 --> 00:02:31,920 Speaker 2: we're gonna go out, We're gonna have fun, but then 53 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 2: there was just a little bit of reservation. And I 54 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:38,840 Speaker 2: think one thing, one thing that reminds me of that 55 00:02:39,240 --> 00:02:42,320 Speaker 2: is even like the women who we cover in the WNBA, 56 00:02:42,720 --> 00:02:46,240 Speaker 2: and how there are moments where we see them on 57 00:02:46,240 --> 00:02:48,320 Speaker 2: the court, we see what they do, we see how 58 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:51,680 Speaker 2: they ball, and then we have to remind ourselves, and 59 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 2: maybe not us, but like people have to remind themselves 60 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:57,440 Speaker 2: like what you are and what you do on the 61 00:02:57,440 --> 00:03:00,560 Speaker 2: court is not necessarily what you are and who you 62 00:03:00,639 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 2: are off the court in your personal life and your 63 00:03:03,360 --> 00:03:06,320 Speaker 2: personal endeavors. And so I'll start with you and go 64 00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 2: around a shurel about what it means to try to 65 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:13,919 Speaker 2: find a balance. We're gonna go there. We are absolutely 66 00:03:13,960 --> 00:03:15,480 Speaker 2: going there. I love that. 67 00:03:15,680 --> 00:03:18,720 Speaker 4: Yeah, last night was a really real experience for me 68 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 4: because I feel like I'm still very new in this space, 69 00:03:21,720 --> 00:03:24,239 Speaker 4: although I've been in it for about seven eight years, 70 00:03:25,080 --> 00:03:27,640 Speaker 4: and so a lot a lot of me wants to 71 00:03:27,720 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 4: protect who I am, that public facing image versus my 72 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,600 Speaker 4: private life and so I did. I did have reservations 73 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:39,320 Speaker 4: about going out last night and people seeing me outside 74 00:03:39,360 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 4: of work, the work environment, and I guess it's something 75 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:48,160 Speaker 4: you're laughing serial but it's for real, it's real. But no, 76 00:03:48,400 --> 00:03:51,680 Speaker 4: it's just something that I'm learning to balance. I'm not 77 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:52,960 Speaker 4: there yet. I'm not gonna lie. 78 00:03:54,520 --> 00:03:55,280 Speaker 2: I'm not there yet. 79 00:03:55,400 --> 00:03:58,600 Speaker 4: You're just still learning learning how to navigate it, I guess. 80 00:03:58,840 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 2: And surel for you, you having literally so much of 81 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,160 Speaker 2: your life public right with being a superstar athlete, with 82 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,480 Speaker 2: literally somebody can pick up Google and feel like they 83 00:04:09,480 --> 00:04:12,960 Speaker 2: can find everything about you. You know, how do you, 84 00:04:13,360 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 2: in your own way try to find a balance of 85 00:04:16,960 --> 00:04:19,960 Speaker 2: you being Churl the basketball player, the Hall of Famer, 86 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:21,680 Speaker 2: and then you just being. 87 00:04:21,680 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 1: Cheryl from Texas, from West Texas. I, first of all, 88 00:04:26,920 --> 00:04:29,640 Speaker 1: I think it's hard because I think if you ask 89 00:04:30,120 --> 00:04:36,799 Speaker 1: even people in the room, is it fair to say 90 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:41,479 Speaker 1: that what you do at work, in your workplace, on 91 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,440 Speaker 1: the court or whatever, you have to be that same 92 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 1: person outside of work. Personally, I don't think it's fair 93 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:59,360 Speaker 1: because what I do outside of my job should be able. 94 00:04:59,400 --> 00:05:01,479 Speaker 1: I should be able to to be me. And I 95 00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:04,839 Speaker 1: think one of the biggest issues with that though, when 96 00:05:04,920 --> 00:05:08,520 Speaker 1: people are trying to portray you as being like, oh 97 00:05:08,560 --> 00:05:10,960 Speaker 1: my gosh, he or she they're like on all the 98 00:05:11,000 --> 00:05:13,479 Speaker 1: time and they're great and they're this and that. Like, 99 00:05:13,520 --> 00:05:16,960 Speaker 1: I think you give a false sense to little kids 100 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,400 Speaker 1: growing up of everything's perfect, everything's great. 101 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 5: Because it's not. Do we always make the right choices? 102 00:05:24,800 --> 00:05:24,840 Speaker 4: No? 103 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: Do we always make the right decision No, So I 104 00:05:28,680 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: think it's unfair to have those expectations. But for myself personally, 105 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:38,719 Speaker 1: like it or not fair or unfair, I always know 106 00:05:38,960 --> 00:05:43,640 Speaker 1: that there's somebody somewhere watching me just to see am 107 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:45,599 Speaker 1: I going to f up? So they can be able 108 00:05:45,600 --> 00:05:47,320 Speaker 1: to go and say, you see, she did mess up. 109 00:05:47,320 --> 00:05:48,760 Speaker 1: And I'll be the first to say, yeah, I do 110 00:05:48,800 --> 00:05:54,160 Speaker 1: make mistakes. But I try to be very cognizant of 111 00:05:54,200 --> 00:05:58,320 Speaker 1: my surroundings, where I'm at, what I'm doing, because I 112 00:05:58,360 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 1: know people are always going to even though that's not 113 00:06:01,000 --> 00:06:03,400 Speaker 1: our place to do that. But I always want to 114 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:06,840 Speaker 1: have that not a perfect image, but I always want 115 00:06:06,839 --> 00:06:09,840 Speaker 1: to be that person where when especially little girls, when 116 00:06:09,839 --> 00:06:12,640 Speaker 1: they look at me, they can say, you know what, like, 117 00:06:12,680 --> 00:06:15,520 Speaker 1: I'm real. I'm just gonna be a real person regardless 118 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,600 Speaker 1: of where I'm at what I'm doing, and I want 119 00:06:17,600 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: to be able to show that to them and to 120 00:06:20,800 --> 00:06:23,680 Speaker 1: let them know that it is okay to not always 121 00:06:23,800 --> 00:06:26,520 Speaker 1: be right, It's okay to not always be on. I 122 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:28,840 Speaker 1: think we put way too much pressure on ourselves at 123 00:06:28,880 --> 00:06:29,720 Speaker 1: times to do that. 124 00:06:29,880 --> 00:06:31,880 Speaker 2: Can I shake the table a little bit? Shake it? 125 00:06:32,360 --> 00:06:34,839 Speaker 2: I'm about to shake the table in the shape table 126 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 2: a little bit shake. Do you think do you think 127 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 2: men have that expectation? Absolutely not, Like, like y'all have 128 00:06:41,360 --> 00:06:43,920 Speaker 2: no idea how they don't you have it at I 129 00:06:43,960 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 2: don't think so. Like, you can lose all your hair 130 00:06:47,400 --> 00:06:51,400 Speaker 2: and you will still be considered that guy, you know 131 00:06:51,400 --> 00:06:54,320 Speaker 2: what I mean? You can gain weight, yes, and no 132 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,719 Speaker 2: one's gonna say I'm not gonna date that yeah because 133 00:06:56,760 --> 00:06:59,840 Speaker 2: he's gained Yeah, Like y'all are just y'all. If we 134 00:07:00,080 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 2: put on two pounds, we have officially become the worst 135 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:07,240 Speaker 2: people in the world, and we're overweight and we're obese. 136 00:07:07,400 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 2: If we lose a single strand of hair, we all 137 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,120 Speaker 2: of a sudden have now missed the societal standards of 138 00:07:13,120 --> 00:07:16,520 Speaker 2: what beauty looks like. And so if we go out 139 00:07:16,560 --> 00:07:19,680 Speaker 2: and have too much to drink and get caught on 140 00:07:19,960 --> 00:07:23,200 Speaker 2: social media, then it's, oh, my god, woman, thou aren't loose, 141 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:26,240 Speaker 2: like what in the world, right, And so it's it's 142 00:07:26,320 --> 00:07:30,080 Speaker 2: so interesting how And this isn't to play the gender card, 143 00:07:30,160 --> 00:07:33,080 Speaker 2: but it is to just demonstrate just how much more 144 00:07:33,120 --> 00:07:38,840 Speaker 2: difficult it is at times to balance your personality and 145 00:07:38,920 --> 00:07:42,840 Speaker 2: your profession. And I think that's relatable in any case, 146 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 2: Like even when we have to sometimes code switch, right, 147 00:07:46,720 --> 00:07:49,720 Speaker 2: like we have to sometimes you know, I can end, 148 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,960 Speaker 2: you see what I'm saying, and let's have past, because 149 00:07:53,960 --> 00:07:58,720 Speaker 2: you know, I can absolutely have a conversation with my friends, 150 00:07:58,760 --> 00:08:01,640 Speaker 2: and there are certain and things that I can say 151 00:08:01,680 --> 00:08:05,000 Speaker 2: with my friends that I can't necessarily say at work, 152 00:08:05,040 --> 00:08:07,520 Speaker 2: and not because those things are bad, but just because 153 00:08:07,560 --> 00:08:10,600 Speaker 2: the perception of it is just so different, right, And 154 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:14,720 Speaker 2: I just I think it's important to put an emphasis 155 00:08:15,040 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 2: on just how difficult that can be sometimes. But you know, 156 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,200 Speaker 2: for both of you and whoever wants to answer can answer. 157 00:08:22,000 --> 00:08:24,840 Speaker 2: Are there moments where you're just like, for lack of 158 00:08:24,880 --> 00:08:27,680 Speaker 2: better terms, ef it, like I don't care you know 159 00:08:27,960 --> 00:08:30,160 Speaker 2: what someone's gonna say, or like you know, f it, 160 00:08:30,320 --> 00:08:32,440 Speaker 2: I'm gonna I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna put on 161 00:08:32,440 --> 00:08:34,760 Speaker 2: this outfit, I'm gonna wear this week. I'm gonna save 162 00:08:34,800 --> 00:08:37,120 Speaker 2: this line because it's just it is who it is. 163 00:08:37,160 --> 00:08:40,240 Speaker 2: And if someone else doesn't have the ability to compartmentalize 164 00:08:40,360 --> 00:08:43,040 Speaker 2: me personally versus me professionally, like that's. 165 00:08:42,840 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 1: On them, yeah, I'll answered, yeah, yeah. But I have 166 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:54,880 Speaker 1: found though that the older I get, the more I 167 00:08:54,920 --> 00:08:57,880 Speaker 1: get to a point of the I really don't. 168 00:08:57,679 --> 00:08:59,360 Speaker 2: Care the idea. 169 00:08:59,440 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: But you know why because I sleep very well at night. 170 00:09:04,360 --> 00:09:08,320 Speaker 1: And what I mean by that is I'm genuinely a 171 00:09:08,480 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 1: really good person. I treat people well, just don't come 172 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:17,400 Speaker 1: in me sideways. And so because of that, yeah, I 173 00:09:17,480 --> 00:09:22,560 Speaker 1: just feel like we as a society we just worry 174 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:27,600 Speaker 1: about other people's business too much at times, and we're 175 00:09:27,640 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: not we're not allowed to have our own I can't 176 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:36,080 Speaker 1: have my own thoughts and opinions, like you feel like, 177 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:40,600 Speaker 1: not you personally, but you feel like you should be 178 00:09:40,600 --> 00:09:43,320 Speaker 1: able to tell me what my own opinion should be 179 00:09:43,320 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 1: about something, right, And so instead of going back and 180 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:50,480 Speaker 1: forth with people about whatever it is, I just get 181 00:09:50,520 --> 00:09:54,160 Speaker 1: to a point to where I'm like, you know what. 182 00:09:52,880 --> 00:09:54,960 Speaker 2: Whatever you got it, I just chime in on that. 183 00:09:55,080 --> 00:09:55,559 Speaker 2: Of course. 184 00:09:55,640 --> 00:10:00,320 Speaker 4: So I mean, obviously you're public facing figures right media 185 00:10:00,360 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 4: space and the sports space as a Hall of Famer, 186 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,600 Speaker 4: how much do you think social media and parasocial relationships 187 00:10:06,679 --> 00:10:08,840 Speaker 4: factor into those expectations. 188 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 2: Oh my god, so much? Like there are so funny 189 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:17,080 Speaker 2: story my husband doesn't like so like he is cool 190 00:10:17,080 --> 00:10:19,760 Speaker 2: with social media, but he don't really like social media 191 00:10:19,800 --> 00:10:22,880 Speaker 2: at all. Right, Like if you look on his social pages, 192 00:10:22,920 --> 00:10:25,760 Speaker 2: it's nothing but like memes, jokes in the Philadelphia Eagles, 193 00:10:25,800 --> 00:10:27,760 Speaker 2: Like that's it. That's why you're gonna see. I almost 194 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:29,400 Speaker 2: didn't even know it was him because he changed his 195 00:10:29,400 --> 00:10:31,719 Speaker 2: profile picture to Jalen Hurts, and I was like, who 196 00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:34,400 Speaker 2: is this man? Or my husband's who is this person? 197 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:36,720 Speaker 2: But he doesn't like social Me on the other hand, 198 00:10:36,880 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 2: part of it is because of my job that I 199 00:10:38,920 --> 00:10:41,160 Speaker 2: have to continually be on social media and have to 200 00:10:41,160 --> 00:10:44,120 Speaker 2: continually post. But also because I think social is what 201 00:10:44,160 --> 00:10:46,640 Speaker 2: you make it, right. It's a negative place if you 202 00:10:46,679 --> 00:10:49,000 Speaker 2: make it and you allow it to be a negative place. 203 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,200 Speaker 2: I don't allow it to be a negative space for me. 204 00:10:51,600 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 2: But with that being said, because I post about, you know, family, 205 00:10:55,240 --> 00:10:57,320 Speaker 2: husband things like that. When I'm out and I'm with 206 00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:01,280 Speaker 2: my husband, people think they know him, so they're always like, 207 00:11:01,360 --> 00:11:03,720 Speaker 2: oh my god, I know you know you're you're you're 208 00:11:03,760 --> 00:11:05,800 Speaker 2: a tourists and and you like the Eagles, and how 209 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:07,320 Speaker 2: do you blah blah blah blah, and they just like 210 00:11:07,640 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 2: kind of start conversations, and granted, he's not like a 211 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:14,319 Speaker 2: rude person, so he will engage in conversation, but when 212 00:11:14,320 --> 00:11:18,560 Speaker 2: we're done, he's like, who the hell is that? How 213 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:19,240 Speaker 2: do they know me? 214 00:11:19,600 --> 00:11:19,800 Speaker 4: You know? 215 00:11:19,960 --> 00:11:23,600 Speaker 2: And so I think those parasocial relationships really do speak 216 00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 2: a lot to how we interact and how people interact 217 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,320 Speaker 2: and have expectations of us because they think they know 218 00:11:30,760 --> 00:11:33,440 Speaker 2: who we are and what we're about based on what 219 00:11:33,480 --> 00:11:36,000 Speaker 2: we share and what we post on social media. And 220 00:11:36,080 --> 00:11:39,000 Speaker 2: I think all of us can say that we're all layered, 221 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,520 Speaker 2: right like, where none of us are one dimensional. All 222 00:11:41,559 --> 00:11:44,360 Speaker 2: of us have different parts, different pieces. And I even 223 00:11:44,360 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 2: think about that as it relates to women in the WNBA, 224 00:11:47,280 --> 00:11:50,080 Speaker 2: right Like we look at players in the WNBA and 225 00:11:50,120 --> 00:11:53,280 Speaker 2: we say, you know, oh, dj A Carrington, she's beautiful, 226 00:11:53,360 --> 00:11:55,560 Speaker 2: she has these lashes, she has these hair. But you 227 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,360 Speaker 2: remember there was one time last season where there was 228 00:11:58,400 --> 00:12:01,400 Speaker 2: a conversation where folks like, oh my god, her nails 229 00:12:01,440 --> 00:12:04,120 Speaker 2: are too long, like that's ghetto blah blah blah blah blah, right, 230 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:08,280 Speaker 2: and it's like there's these these secret things that we have. 231 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:11,600 Speaker 2: And truthfully, if you, you know, really got to know 232 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:14,280 Speaker 2: Djna or really got a chance to like follow her 233 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:17,040 Speaker 2: outside of what she does on the court, you'd see 234 00:12:17,080 --> 00:12:20,120 Speaker 2: she's one of the kindest people, super silly. Her nails 235 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:24,599 Speaker 2: actually aren't long at all naturally hers not with the 236 00:12:24,679 --> 00:12:27,360 Speaker 2: crylic And it's it's one of those things where it's 237 00:12:27,360 --> 00:12:30,000 Speaker 2: like you think you know something, you set this expectation, 238 00:12:30,080 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 2: you set this stereotype, and it's completely different from who 239 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:37,679 Speaker 2: you really are. And social plays a huge, huge role Inette. 240 00:12:38,480 --> 00:12:40,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'll just add a little bit to that. 241 00:12:40,880 --> 00:12:43,280 Speaker 1: I think the one thing when you said social can 242 00:12:43,320 --> 00:12:45,400 Speaker 1: be really good or can be really bad, but to me, 243 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:48,960 Speaker 1: it is what you make it. But social media is 244 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:54,600 Speaker 1: the one place though where like it gives people a 245 00:12:54,840 --> 00:13:00,320 Speaker 1: place in a space to where they feel relevant, but 246 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: also a place where they feel like they can come 247 00:13:03,559 --> 00:13:08,000 Speaker 1: for you behind a keyboard or on a cell phone. 248 00:13:08,120 --> 00:13:11,680 Speaker 1: And that's that's where I've just gotten to a point 249 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:14,640 Speaker 1: to where one you just take a break, like I 250 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 1: have to mentally just walk away from social media at times, 251 00:13:18,400 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 1: because people feel like they really know you based off 252 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,600 Speaker 1: of what they see on social media. And I think 253 00:13:26,080 --> 00:13:29,280 Speaker 1: if you spend your time getting so caught up in 254 00:13:29,679 --> 00:13:33,319 Speaker 1: reading all the posts and all the reposts and tweets 255 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:39,480 Speaker 1: and about yourself specifically, like it could play a huge 256 00:13:39,520 --> 00:13:43,760 Speaker 1: part in what you feel mentally. And a lot a 257 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:47,760 Speaker 1: lot of people aren't mentally strong enough to deal with 258 00:13:47,920 --> 00:13:50,400 Speaker 1: the things that are said about you on social media. 259 00:13:50,480 --> 00:13:52,280 Speaker 1: So that's where I've gotten to a point where I'm like, 260 00:13:53,720 --> 00:13:55,559 Speaker 1: you know, it's it's my it's my life. 261 00:13:55,720 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 4: Yeah. Yeah, I absolutely think that there's levels to having 262 00:13:58,280 --> 00:14:02,080 Speaker 4: boundaries in that balance. And for me personally, I mean 263 00:14:02,280 --> 00:14:04,520 Speaker 4: this time last year, I spent a lot of. 264 00:14:04,480 --> 00:14:05,640 Speaker 2: Screen time on my phone. 265 00:14:05,679 --> 00:14:08,040 Speaker 3: Breaking news is a very hefty business, y'all. 266 00:14:08,240 --> 00:14:10,640 Speaker 4: Yeah, And so this year I kind of took a 267 00:14:10,640 --> 00:14:14,040 Speaker 4: step back because it was mentally taxing to be on 268 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:17,400 Speaker 4: social media, to want to be first and all those things. 269 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,440 Speaker 3: So for me, it was just about taking time. 270 00:14:20,280 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 4: Personally for myself and to evaluate, Okay, how am I 271 00:14:24,280 --> 00:14:26,960 Speaker 4: going to do this, coming up with a strategy turning 272 00:14:26,960 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 4: my phone off after a certain hour and be like, yeah, 273 00:14:29,880 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 4: this can wait until tomorrow. I think that sometimes we 274 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,560 Speaker 4: always think that we have to do things instantly, and 275 00:14:35,600 --> 00:14:38,920 Speaker 4: sometimes it's okay to just hold something off for the 276 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:41,280 Speaker 4: next day and take that time to yourself. 277 00:14:41,400 --> 00:14:44,000 Speaker 2: Do you remember when we did the We did an 278 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,000 Speaker 2: article for Slam. It's exactly what I'm talking about. Yes, 279 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:49,120 Speaker 2: we did an article for Slam magazine and one of 280 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:53,480 Speaker 2: the questions was what is your screen time? And I 281 00:14:53,560 --> 00:14:57,400 Speaker 2: never paid attention to my screen time until that particular article, 282 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 2: and a twenty one hours was my screen It said 283 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,840 Speaker 2: sixteen hours, And I was like, there're twenty four hours 284 00:15:04,880 --> 00:15:08,040 Speaker 2: in a day, so only three and those only three 285 00:15:08,040 --> 00:15:09,920 Speaker 2: hours you weren't on your phone was probably when. 286 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,280 Speaker 3: You were sleeping, baking, breaking news y'all. 287 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:14,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, that was crazy. 288 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,040 Speaker 5: That that can't be healthy. 289 00:15:17,240 --> 00:15:20,080 Speaker 2: It's that's the point, and that's the point. It wasn't 290 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:22,480 Speaker 2: It wasn't. I think that's exactly the point. It's not. 291 00:15:23,200 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 2: But it's it's so consuming, like especially for you in 292 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:30,240 Speaker 2: that space, like you know, I think about you, and 293 00:15:30,640 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 2: I think about like whoa how he was the breaking 294 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:36,360 Speaker 2: news guy. Now there's Sham's and you know, Rachel Gallian 295 00:15:36,520 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 2: and and just there's so much consumption in that space 296 00:15:40,160 --> 00:15:44,080 Speaker 2: that again, it becomes difficult to maybe balance who you 297 00:15:44,120 --> 00:15:46,840 Speaker 2: are in a personal life and just you know, what 298 00:15:46,920 --> 00:15:49,280 Speaker 2: you should be doing. What does Christina enjoy? What does 299 00:15:49,320 --> 00:15:52,200 Speaker 2: Cheryl enjoy? What does t enjoy? That doesn't have to 300 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:56,440 Speaker 2: do with you know, basketball or sports or media. But 301 00:15:56,480 --> 00:15:59,040 Speaker 2: I just think that, like again, it is relatable to 302 00:15:59,240 --> 00:16:01,400 Speaker 2: most people. I mean, there are lawyers who spend so 303 00:16:01,480 --> 00:16:04,080 Speaker 2: much time in a courtroom that you know, you're like, 304 00:16:04,120 --> 00:16:05,720 Speaker 2: what do you what does your family do? What are 305 00:16:05,720 --> 00:16:08,440 Speaker 2: your what happens when you're not there? There are doctors 306 00:16:08,480 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 2: who spends so much time in the hospital. What do 307 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 2: you do when you're not you know, in an emergency 308 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,200 Speaker 2: situation or when you're not at work? Like, well, how 309 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,000 Speaker 2: do you? How do you turn that thing off? And 310 00:16:17,040 --> 00:16:19,560 Speaker 2: then there's something that you said, Chirl that really stands 311 00:16:19,560 --> 00:16:21,720 Speaker 2: out to me when you say some people aren't mentally 312 00:16:21,760 --> 00:16:25,160 Speaker 2: strong to deal with that. I'll give you a perfect example. 313 00:16:25,560 --> 00:16:28,560 Speaker 2: Last year, I did a show and I did a 314 00:16:28,640 --> 00:16:34,000 Speaker 2: show with someone is this girl? Yees? Okay, So I 315 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 2: did a I did a show last year with this 316 00:16:37,040 --> 00:16:40,080 Speaker 2: woman anamed Pearl Davis. And if you're familiar with Pearl Davis, 317 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 2: Pearl Davis is a very very strong right wing girl 318 00:16:45,560 --> 00:16:48,120 Speaker 2: who has a lot of opinions that I disagree with. 319 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:51,200 Speaker 2: Right But I didn't know I was getting ready to 320 00:16:51,200 --> 00:16:54,240 Speaker 2: do this show with Pearl. Okay, I I wasn't aware. 321 00:16:54,800 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 2: I didn't know what's til I show it up and 322 00:16:56,320 --> 00:17:00,360 Speaker 2: I said, oh shit. I was like, oh, oh, that's 323 00:17:00,360 --> 00:17:01,960 Speaker 2: a good thing. Don't worry about it. That's a good thing. 324 00:17:02,760 --> 00:17:05,160 Speaker 2: Don't don't google her. Please, don't even tear your algorithm 325 00:17:05,280 --> 00:17:08,920 Speaker 2: up like that. But the point is I also wasn't 326 00:17:08,960 --> 00:17:11,119 Speaker 2: completely familiar with her, but I had just seen a 327 00:17:11,119 --> 00:17:14,480 Speaker 2: couple of things and I did a show with her, 328 00:17:14,760 --> 00:17:17,080 Speaker 2: and I was very excited about the show. And I 329 00:17:17,200 --> 00:17:19,560 Speaker 2: posted a clip for this show on Twitter, and girl, 330 00:17:19,600 --> 00:17:20,840 Speaker 2: they ate me up. 331 00:17:21,000 --> 00:17:22,640 Speaker 3: They ate her alive. 332 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: I was like, me, everybody loves me. I posted that 333 00:17:26,359 --> 00:17:28,000 Speaker 2: I was doing a show and we posted a clip 334 00:17:28,040 --> 00:17:30,000 Speaker 2: of the show and it was me and I was 335 00:17:30,000 --> 00:17:32,040 Speaker 2: sitting next to her, And it just so happened to 336 00:17:32,040 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 2: be the same day that Caitlyn Clark was asked about 337 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,479 Speaker 2: Dja Carrington, and I had tweeted that I thought it 338 00:17:41,520 --> 00:17:46,840 Speaker 2: was disappointing that Caitlyn didn't take the opportunity initially to 339 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:52,240 Speaker 2: dispel the notion and the rumors and the conversation about 340 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,920 Speaker 2: racism and like her fan base, and that same day 341 00:17:56,040 --> 00:18:00,560 Speaker 2: I posted my clip of this woman next to me 342 00:18:00,600 --> 00:18:01,280 Speaker 2: with Pearl. 343 00:18:03,160 --> 00:18:07,840 Speaker 6: To talk about you got the audacity to talk about 344 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 6: a twenty one year old okay, like Clark, And here 345 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 6: you are sitting on stage with Pearl Davis, And so 346 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:14,240 Speaker 6: in my mind. 347 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,320 Speaker 2: I'm like, oh, but I mean, we have different views, 348 00:18:16,320 --> 00:18:18,040 Speaker 2: but I'm pretty sure I could shift the view. They 349 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:18,520 Speaker 2: were like no. 350 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,919 Speaker 4: Bood accountability, then taking accountability. 351 00:18:21,280 --> 00:18:23,320 Speaker 2: Taking it, And I had to then be like, you 352 00:18:23,359 --> 00:18:26,119 Speaker 2: know what, after I quit the show, like four days in, 353 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,399 Speaker 2: I said, this is four days in, y'all, But I said, 354 00:18:29,440 --> 00:18:32,439 Speaker 2: this is a moment where I had to be a 355 00:18:32,480 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 2: bit vulnerable because they were valid in the things that 356 00:18:37,520 --> 00:18:39,040 Speaker 2: they were saying. Now, they didn't all say it the 357 00:18:39,119 --> 00:18:42,159 Speaker 2: right way, you know, but it really had to show me, 358 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:46,119 Speaker 2: you know, how mentally tough you can be to take criticism, 359 00:18:46,200 --> 00:18:50,480 Speaker 2: because as an analyst, I criticize players all the time. 360 00:18:50,960 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 2: As an analyst, I have to tell you when you're 361 00:18:53,520 --> 00:18:56,080 Speaker 2: not playing well, there may be times that I say 362 00:18:56,119 --> 00:18:58,080 Speaker 2: things that people will be like, yeah, see that's a 363 00:18:58,119 --> 00:19:00,320 Speaker 2: little harsh. So I had to sit in my moment 364 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:04,119 Speaker 2: and allow those same people who I criticized to be 365 00:19:04,160 --> 00:19:06,199 Speaker 2: like tee. That wasn't a smart move, you know, And 366 00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:08,120 Speaker 2: it took a little bit of vulnerability because I don't 367 00:19:08,160 --> 00:19:10,320 Speaker 2: like seeing myself being talked about like that. But I 368 00:19:10,359 --> 00:19:12,800 Speaker 2: had to own that space. So to your point, it 369 00:19:12,840 --> 00:19:15,800 Speaker 2: does take a lot of mental toughness to deal with that. 370 00:19:15,840 --> 00:19:19,040 Speaker 2: But I have a question to that. Aw shit, Well 371 00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:21,280 Speaker 2: it's really a general question. 372 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:26,920 Speaker 1: Okay, but why can't you sit on the same stage 373 00:19:27,119 --> 00:19:30,040 Speaker 1: with someone that doesn't have It doesn't have to be 374 00:19:30,119 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 1: in particular, but someone who doesn't have the same views 375 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:39,040 Speaker 1: as you and have a conversation Because personally, I feel 376 00:19:39,040 --> 00:19:42,480 Speaker 1: like that's how we grow, that's how we change. It 377 00:19:42,480 --> 00:19:44,560 Speaker 1: doesn't mean I'm gonna agree with you, but at least 378 00:19:44,560 --> 00:19:46,640 Speaker 1: we can sit and have a conversation. 379 00:19:46,920 --> 00:19:50,600 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think to answer that question in a general sense, 380 00:19:51,000 --> 00:19:53,159 Speaker 2: I agree with you one hundred percent. I think the 381 00:19:53,200 --> 00:19:55,040 Speaker 2: way that we may change and the way that we 382 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,560 Speaker 2: impact people are the way that we do developed actual 383 00:19:58,640 --> 00:20:01,040 Speaker 2: solutions to some of the things that we discussed is 384 00:20:01,119 --> 00:20:04,960 Speaker 2: to have genuine conversations. The keyword in that is genuine. 385 00:20:05,119 --> 00:20:07,720 Speaker 2: This was not a genuine scenario. This was a scenario 386 00:20:07,800 --> 00:20:10,919 Speaker 2: where the producer was trying to like get clicked, and 387 00:20:10,960 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 2: so there was no way that anything I said on 388 00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:16,640 Speaker 2: that station, I shouldn't have been on that stage. Yeah yeah, 389 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:21,280 Speaker 2: I got that value. Yeah yeah, there was no way 390 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:25,720 Speaker 2: to handle together. Yeah yeah yeah. But but generally speaking, yeah, 391 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:36,960 Speaker 2: that's how you. I got you. Has there been moments 392 00:20:37,080 --> 00:20:40,879 Speaker 2: where maybe you felt a little mentally vulnerable on social 393 00:20:41,000 --> 00:20:43,640 Speaker 2: media or where you've like, dang, I kind of gotta 394 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,879 Speaker 2: eat that, or I gotta take that, or maybe not 395 00:20:46,920 --> 00:20:48,560 Speaker 2: because you really you really do it. 396 00:20:49,280 --> 00:20:51,000 Speaker 4: I had to put some people on a summer jam 397 00:20:51,119 --> 00:20:53,880 Speaker 4: screen because I am not the person to clap back 398 00:20:53,880 --> 00:20:56,560 Speaker 4: at anyone on social media say what you want. I'm 399 00:20:56,560 --> 00:20:59,000 Speaker 4: gonna just ignore it, lock you mute, you never see 400 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,840 Speaker 4: you again in the algorithm, and I'm all good. 401 00:21:01,920 --> 00:21:02,680 Speaker 2: But you remember. 402 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:03,160 Speaker 4: Yeah. 403 00:21:03,600 --> 00:21:04,439 Speaker 2: So there was one. 404 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:08,320 Speaker 4: Night I was getting ready for bed and my good 405 00:21:08,359 --> 00:21:14,000 Speaker 4: friend Tarika was like, girl, into your phone. Someone's chat 406 00:21:14,520 --> 00:21:20,040 Speaker 4: leaked and there's messages about you. And long story short, 407 00:21:20,080 --> 00:21:22,960 Speaker 4: it was a group of white male reporters in the 408 00:21:22,960 --> 00:21:26,640 Speaker 4: women's basketball space. They had a private group chat and 409 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:32,879 Speaker 4: it was filled with racist, misogynistic messages. My name was 410 00:21:32,880 --> 00:21:34,760 Speaker 4: thrown in there. They were talking about black media and 411 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:38,160 Speaker 4: journalists in the space, and it was really really bad. 412 00:21:38,200 --> 00:21:39,879 Speaker 4: And so I was like, oh, I can just ignore 413 00:21:39,920 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 4: this like I ignore everything else and when it comes 414 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,040 Speaker 4: to my way, or I can confront it based on 415 00:21:44,600 --> 00:21:47,520 Speaker 4: and so I have a pretty good following on Twitter 416 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,960 Speaker 4: X and I was like, you know what, I'm gonna 417 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,320 Speaker 4: put them on the Summer Jam screen because people deserve 418 00:21:53,400 --> 00:21:57,840 Speaker 4: to know who these people are and what they really think. 419 00:21:58,359 --> 00:22:00,920 Speaker 4: And so I did it. I pressed it. I was like, oh, 420 00:22:00,960 --> 00:22:03,960 Speaker 4: you're on the Summer Jam screen now. And this group 421 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 4: of journalists was essentially exposed and I know they were wondering, 422 00:22:08,400 --> 00:22:09,320 Speaker 4: how the heck did she. 423 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:11,159 Speaker 2: Get that text message? 424 00:22:11,320 --> 00:22:13,280 Speaker 4: Well, I'm a newsbreaker in the space I can I 425 00:22:13,359 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 4: know and see everything. I get everything, one of the 426 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,160 Speaker 4: things that I don't break. But so yeah, I put 427 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,840 Speaker 4: them on the screen and it really forced that group 428 00:22:21,880 --> 00:22:26,199 Speaker 4: of men to be held accountable. And I think that 429 00:22:26,280 --> 00:22:30,320 Speaker 4: the w Twitter space it opened their eyes to what 430 00:22:30,359 --> 00:22:32,520 Speaker 4: we have to face as women of color in this space. 431 00:22:33,080 --> 00:22:35,520 Speaker 4: It was something that kind of put under the rug 432 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 4: because women's sports, you want to advance women's sports had 433 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:40,520 Speaker 4: all costs, but to me. I was like, this is 434 00:22:40,560 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 4: not okay, and we need to have this really. We 435 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,960 Speaker 4: even have an ugly conversation, and it was all over 436 00:22:46,000 --> 00:22:47,160 Speaker 4: the news headlines. 437 00:22:47,200 --> 00:22:49,080 Speaker 2: I was getting calls to be interviewed. 438 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:51,000 Speaker 3: On multiple news stations. 439 00:22:51,280 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 2: It was crazy. Even the person who that group was 440 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,920 Speaker 2: working for did not initially want to take accountability for 441 00:23:00,760 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 2: the things that they were saying. His employees were saying 442 00:23:03,760 --> 00:23:07,240 Speaker 2: about her. And I've never met any of these people. 443 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:10,080 Speaker 4: When I'm in the media workroom, they don't say hi 444 00:23:10,160 --> 00:23:13,199 Speaker 4: to me, never at any conversation. They've never worked with me, 445 00:23:13,280 --> 00:23:15,919 Speaker 4: don't know me from all in the wall, nothing, And 446 00:23:15,960 --> 00:23:17,800 Speaker 4: they had so much to say about who they thought 447 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:22,080 Speaker 4: I was, or the privilege that I have or whatever. 448 00:23:22,240 --> 00:23:25,160 Speaker 4: I worked fucking hard. I've worked so hard to get 449 00:23:25,160 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 4: to where I am and I don't take it for granted. 450 00:23:28,280 --> 00:23:31,160 Speaker 4: But to those people, they thought that, you know, she's 451 00:23:31,600 --> 00:23:34,239 Speaker 4: she's a black woman, she was just given this and 452 00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 4: that is not the case to my journey or how 453 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 4: I ended up to where I am. So yeah, I'm 454 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:41,800 Speaker 4: not going to say the name, but yeah, and having 455 00:23:41,880 --> 00:23:44,159 Speaker 4: me the company was like, I don't think that I 456 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,399 Speaker 4: want to make a statement about this, and he just 457 00:23:47,440 --> 00:23:50,240 Speaker 4: did not want to hold his employees accountable until it 458 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:55,840 Speaker 4: hit him publicly, where the whole and sports industry was like, no, 459 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:57,840 Speaker 4: you have to say something, and then he said it, 460 00:23:57,840 --> 00:23:59,200 Speaker 4: but it was it didn't feel genuine. 461 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:02,840 Speaker 2: Myself reached out to him, Cindy Brunson reached out to him. 462 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:04,679 Speaker 2: There were many of us who reached out. Who is 463 00:24:04,760 --> 00:24:07,520 Speaker 2: just like, you have to say something. It is not 464 00:24:07,640 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 2: good to just be silent on this because these are 465 00:24:10,240 --> 00:24:12,639 Speaker 2: your employees and they represent you, they represent your brand. 466 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:16,160 Speaker 2: But I think it's just adding to the vulnerability that 467 00:24:16,560 --> 00:24:20,080 Speaker 2: we have in wanting to keep our personal life personal 468 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:23,480 Speaker 2: and our professional life professional, because if they could say 469 00:24:23,560 --> 00:24:27,879 Speaker 2: things negative like that about you as a professional, imagine 470 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 2: what the group chat would have looked like. And I'm 471 00:24:30,119 --> 00:24:31,399 Speaker 2: going to tell you this type of friend I am. 472 00:24:31,440 --> 00:24:33,720 Speaker 2: When I got that text, I was like, yeah, I 473 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,439 Speaker 2: could leak it. But at the same time, Christina's my friend, 474 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:40,280 Speaker 2: so I'm not going I'm not gonna sit on this text. 475 00:24:40,280 --> 00:24:43,040 Speaker 2: I'm gonna send it to her. If she wants to 476 00:24:43,280 --> 00:24:46,080 Speaker 2: leak it, let her do it. If she doesn't want to, 477 00:24:46,560 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 2: that's cool too, because it is about her. But as 478 00:24:49,480 --> 00:24:53,800 Speaker 2: another person. Creative journalist in this space and someone who's 479 00:24:53,920 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 2: very protective of knowing what it takes to be in 480 00:24:56,840 --> 00:24:58,520 Speaker 2: this space. I was like, I'm not about to just 481 00:24:58,560 --> 00:24:59,160 Speaker 2: sit on this text. 482 00:24:59,200 --> 00:25:01,680 Speaker 4: I think that I was afraid of was falling into 483 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:05,159 Speaker 4: that angry black woman's trope that follows so many of 484 00:25:05,200 --> 00:25:07,440 Speaker 4: us in this industry. And I was just like, I'm 485 00:25:07,480 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 4: not going to say anything. I don't like it is 486 00:25:09,520 --> 00:25:11,320 Speaker 4: what it is like if they think that that's up 487 00:25:11,359 --> 00:25:13,359 Speaker 4: to them, But at some point, you're to stand up 488 00:25:13,359 --> 00:25:16,280 Speaker 4: for yourself no matter what people will think about you. 489 00:25:16,560 --> 00:25:19,239 Speaker 4: And so for me, that was my moment of you 490 00:25:19,320 --> 00:25:20,520 Speaker 4: have to speak out, you have to. 491 00:25:20,440 --> 00:25:21,360 Speaker 2: Stand up for yourself. 492 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:23,960 Speaker 4: So absolutely, and I appreciate it because also taught me 493 00:25:23,960 --> 00:25:26,080 Speaker 4: that I have a whole community people who have my 494 00:25:26,160 --> 00:25:30,320 Speaker 4: back and are very supportive of me and the industry. 495 00:25:30,520 --> 00:25:33,080 Speaker 4: I had GMS reach out to me, executives in a 496 00:25:33,160 --> 00:25:35,159 Speaker 4: league like, no, like, we really rock with you. 497 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,360 Speaker 2: Do you need anything? I'm here. So it just let 498 00:25:38,359 --> 00:25:39,800 Speaker 2: me know that I have a great. 499 00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:42,160 Speaker 4: Community in the women's basketball space and that those people 500 00:25:42,240 --> 00:25:42,840 Speaker 4: had to be healthy here. 501 00:25:42,960 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: Yeah, no, thank god you did. But I will say 502 00:25:45,080 --> 00:25:48,400 Speaker 2: this though, sure for you it feels like you are 503 00:25:48,400 --> 00:25:51,160 Speaker 2: also sometimes often caught between a rock and a hard place, 504 00:25:51,240 --> 00:25:55,200 Speaker 2: because as a former player, you know and understand better 505 00:25:55,240 --> 00:25:57,439 Speaker 2: than any of us on a stage what it means 506 00:25:57,520 --> 00:25:59,359 Speaker 2: to be on a championship team, what it means to 507 00:25:59,400 --> 00:26:00,679 Speaker 2: be in a locker room, what it means to be 508 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:04,399 Speaker 2: an athlete, and building blocks. But then you also share 509 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:07,159 Speaker 2: the commonality of us of now being an analyst and 510 00:26:07,200 --> 00:26:10,439 Speaker 2: now being a media personality, and it feels that it 511 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:14,600 Speaker 2: becomes increasingly difficult the more people get itchy Twitter fingers 512 00:26:14,960 --> 00:26:22,119 Speaker 2: to maintain your professionalism as an analyst and also stand 513 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:26,520 Speaker 2: up for players when they have been done wrong by fans, 514 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:29,480 Speaker 2: by media, by others. Can you talk about that a 515 00:26:29,480 --> 00:26:29,880 Speaker 2: little bit? 516 00:26:30,240 --> 00:26:35,879 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think you know, first of all, being a 517 00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:44,280 Speaker 1: former NBA player, like they are allowed to say whatever 518 00:26:44,320 --> 00:26:47,399 Speaker 1: they want to say about the game today, the current 519 00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:51,320 Speaker 1: players today, and people see that as, oh my goodness, 520 00:26:51,400 --> 00:26:54,280 Speaker 1: well if this person whoever, that former player is right, 521 00:26:54,560 --> 00:26:56,800 Speaker 1: if they said it, then it must be true. 522 00:26:56,880 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 5: It must be right. 523 00:26:58,160 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 2: But the other side of. 524 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: That is as a woman, as a former player, it's 525 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,879 Speaker 1: almost like we're not entitled to have opinions about the 526 00:27:08,000 --> 00:27:12,119 Speaker 1: game and where the game is today or about certain 527 00:27:12,160 --> 00:27:18,199 Speaker 1: players and that to me is so mind boggling, because like, 528 00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:21,080 Speaker 1: I will sit here today and put my resume up 529 00:27:21,119 --> 00:27:25,119 Speaker 1: against any former NBA player. Well, and I'm only saying 530 00:27:25,160 --> 00:27:28,080 Speaker 1: that because if you have a right to talk about 531 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,440 Speaker 1: the game, then so should I. And for me, it's 532 00:27:31,640 --> 00:27:36,199 Speaker 1: never personal, But it's always about wanting the game to 533 00:27:36,240 --> 00:27:38,960 Speaker 1: be better, wanting the players to be better, wanting people 534 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,040 Speaker 1: to understand where we've come from, where we've been, and 535 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:48,200 Speaker 1: where we're going. So, yeah, there was quite a bit. 536 00:27:48,840 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 1: And you know, the funny thing is team when you 537 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:56,600 Speaker 1: talk about social media again, people can only go and 538 00:27:56,680 --> 00:28:00,760 Speaker 1: pick certain parts of interviews you've done or certain parts 539 00:28:00,800 --> 00:28:03,679 Speaker 1: of a podcast clip and that's what they're going to post. 540 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:06,720 Speaker 1: And so then the world goes crazy like, oh, well 541 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:10,320 Speaker 1: she said this, but no, did you listen to the 542 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,159 Speaker 1: entire clip or the entire episode to know exactly what 543 00:28:14,200 --> 00:28:16,600 Speaker 1: we were talking about. So it does get to a 544 00:28:16,640 --> 00:28:21,440 Speaker 1: point at times where it's like like, what. 545 00:28:20,680 --> 00:28:23,280 Speaker 5: What am I really doing? And is this where I 546 00:28:23,320 --> 00:28:24,840 Speaker 5: want to be? Is this a space I want to 547 00:28:24,840 --> 00:28:25,200 Speaker 5: be in? 548 00:28:25,960 --> 00:28:30,679 Speaker 1: But yeah, because I feel like if anyone has earned 549 00:28:30,680 --> 00:28:33,440 Speaker 1: that right to talk about the game and to talk 550 00:28:33,480 --> 00:28:35,679 Speaker 1: about the players and to talk about what we're doing 551 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:38,000 Speaker 1: today that I should be. 552 00:28:38,000 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 2: Able to do that, Yeah, for sure. 553 00:28:40,480 --> 00:28:43,160 Speaker 5: But there are people though that are like, no, you 554 00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 5: don't have that right. 555 00:28:44,000 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 4: Let me just tell you, yeah, I will run through 556 00:28:46,280 --> 00:28:48,760 Speaker 4: a brick wall for both of you, and I turned 557 00:28:48,800 --> 00:28:52,040 Speaker 4: off to play about them right back to media. And 558 00:28:52,120 --> 00:28:54,480 Speaker 4: so there's been times in the last year where I 559 00:28:54,480 --> 00:28:56,880 Speaker 4: had to hold some of my media friends accountable because 560 00:28:57,320 --> 00:29:00,640 Speaker 4: they've written articles about you that were not pleasant or 561 00:29:00,680 --> 00:29:03,920 Speaker 4: didn't have the full context of the story. And you know, 562 00:29:03,960 --> 00:29:05,760 Speaker 4: I checked them on it, like, hey, like, why are 563 00:29:05,760 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 4: you writing writing this one piece to create this narrative? 564 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,760 Speaker 4: And I think that especially in the w NBA space, 565 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:13,880 Speaker 4: we've seen how that can play out with the Christine 566 00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,400 Speaker 4: Brennan situation. For those of you who don't know, there's 567 00:29:17,400 --> 00:29:21,720 Speaker 4: a US Today columnist, Christine Brennan, and she's writing a 568 00:29:21,720 --> 00:29:25,240 Speaker 4: book about Kaitlyn Clark. But also she's been in Indianapolis 569 00:29:25,320 --> 00:29:28,760 Speaker 4: this past year covering the fever and Caitlyn Clark and 570 00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:30,920 Speaker 4: the whole thing with dj N. Carrington came up with 571 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:35,680 Speaker 4: the ipoke and she just sensationalized. 572 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:38,720 Speaker 2: The ipoke and it was not an ipope. 573 00:29:38,760 --> 00:29:47,040 Speaker 4: It wasn't it was, but anyway, it's just how media 574 00:29:47,080 --> 00:29:49,800 Speaker 4: have been creating these narratives about the black players and 575 00:29:50,480 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 4: the bigger context of how that. 576 00:29:52,720 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 2: Can play out for them. No, absolutely same here, Like 577 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,560 Speaker 2: I think the difference between me and Christina it Christina 578 00:30:00,600 --> 00:30:06,200 Speaker 2: will like, very politely and very casually and very professionally 579 00:30:06,240 --> 00:30:10,080 Speaker 2: say hey, you're out of pocket. So Rika will absolutely 580 00:30:10,600 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 2: clap back and be like, y'all talking to Because I'm 581 00:30:14,720 --> 00:30:16,680 Speaker 2: from Detroit, I'm like, he y'all, what are you talking too? 582 00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:25,240 Speaker 2: Has friendships? Those friendships seven mile will come out, You'll 583 00:30:25,280 --> 00:30:28,320 Speaker 2: be like Eminem, go down all of it. The whole 584 00:30:28,400 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 2: thing will come out like it's just which is very different. 585 00:30:31,040 --> 00:30:32,720 Speaker 2: And so you know, I say all the time, I 586 00:30:32,800 --> 00:30:34,800 Speaker 2: was like, I'm not your everage journalist. Now guys like 587 00:30:34,920 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 2: I will. But I think sometimes it's necessary because for 588 00:30:38,840 --> 00:30:41,160 Speaker 2: that very reason, Like people again take what they think, 589 00:30:41,200 --> 00:30:43,480 Speaker 2: they see, what they think they hear, and they will 590 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 2: continue to push that button if you allow them. And 591 00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:48,840 Speaker 2: of course there's only so much you can do from 592 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:52,480 Speaker 2: behind a keyboard, right, But what I find hilarious is 593 00:30:52,520 --> 00:30:54,800 Speaker 2: that when we are out in public and we are 594 00:30:54,920 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 2: at different venues, like I remember specifically someone tweeting something 595 00:31:00,120 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 2: crazy about Sheryl And then we were at an event 596 00:31:02,840 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 2: for Final four and they were like, can we have 597 00:31:06,160 --> 00:31:06,960 Speaker 2: your photo? 598 00:31:08,760 --> 00:31:12,120 Speaker 6: And I was like, ooh, should I pull the tweet tea? 599 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,480 Speaker 1: And I'm the one that I'll be like, but no, 600 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:18,480 Speaker 1: keep that same energy you had on social media. Here's 601 00:31:18,520 --> 00:31:20,440 Speaker 1: the biggest one for me though, because a lot of 602 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: people they want to use social media and they want 603 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:25,479 Speaker 1: to take whatever and turn it into a black versus 604 00:31:25,520 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 1: white thing. Yeah, it's not that at all because one 605 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,959 Speaker 1: thing that I am always going to do is stand 606 00:31:33,040 --> 00:31:37,800 Speaker 1: up for players period. And I remember this past season 607 00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:43,440 Speaker 1: when Chicago Sky played Indiana Diamond de Shills, who foul 608 00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:46,080 Speaker 1: Caitlin and which it was a foul they call the 609 00:31:46,120 --> 00:31:50,000 Speaker 1: foul blah blah blah ah. That so games over and 610 00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:53,680 Speaker 1: Diamond's getting all these ugly tweets and messages. So for 611 00:31:53,720 --> 00:31:57,440 Speaker 1: those who don't know, like Diamond de Shills was really sick, 612 00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:02,480 Speaker 1: like very very she had a tumor. And I remember, 613 00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 1: like some of the fans were tweeting like, I hope 614 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,320 Speaker 1: the tumor comes back and you die from it next time. 615 00:32:08,960 --> 00:32:14,040 Speaker 1: So I responded, right, I responded and said Diamond, like 616 00:32:14,160 --> 00:32:16,240 Speaker 1: we're here, We got your back, keep being you, blah 617 00:32:16,240 --> 00:32:19,920 Speaker 1: blah blah. Well they thought that I was talking about 618 00:32:19,960 --> 00:32:22,320 Speaker 1: the foul because for me at that point, it wasn't 619 00:32:22,360 --> 00:32:25,000 Speaker 1: even about basketball, but it's about a person, a human 620 00:32:25,000 --> 00:32:28,560 Speaker 1: being in her life. And so then because I said 621 00:32:28,600 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 1: what I said to her, then they came for me, right, like, oh, 622 00:32:32,600 --> 00:32:35,600 Speaker 1: you're just a racist, and you don't I don't respond 623 00:32:35,640 --> 00:32:37,800 Speaker 1: to everybody, but there are certain times like when I 624 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,520 Speaker 1: have time on that day and this day I had time. 625 00:32:40,720 --> 00:32:41,240 Speaker 2: It's time. 626 00:32:41,600 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 5: So I'm more of a Tarika, not a Christina. 627 00:32:45,240 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 2: God bless you for being a Christina. 628 00:32:49,320 --> 00:32:52,000 Speaker 1: I just you know, I guess the bottom line for 629 00:32:52,160 --> 00:32:55,840 Speaker 1: me is and you see it on the NBA side, 630 00:32:55,920 --> 00:33:00,360 Speaker 1: but for me, it's about like these young women and men, 631 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:02,800 Speaker 1: like they work their asses off. 632 00:33:02,680 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 5: To get to where they are and doing what they do. 633 00:33:06,040 --> 00:33:09,080 Speaker 1: And how dare you feel like you can just sit 634 00:33:09,520 --> 00:33:12,920 Speaker 1: on your computer or your phone and just just go 635 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:16,560 Speaker 1: in and say some of the craziest, dumbest things about 636 00:33:16,920 --> 00:33:18,080 Speaker 1: someone that you don't even know. 637 00:33:18,320 --> 00:33:20,120 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you don't even. 638 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,200 Speaker 1: Know what her story is and the journey she's been 639 00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: through to just to walk again, right, And that's where 640 00:33:26,920 --> 00:33:29,680 Speaker 1: I was coming from, Like I know your story. Don't 641 00:33:29,760 --> 00:33:32,520 Speaker 1: let all of what these people are saying about you 642 00:33:32,600 --> 00:33:35,920 Speaker 1: on social media like take you to a not so 643 00:33:36,040 --> 00:33:38,520 Speaker 1: good place, because it's very easy for that to happen. 644 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,200 Speaker 2: Yeah. This it actually reminds me of a conversation that 645 00:33:41,440 --> 00:33:44,280 Speaker 2: Christina and I were having yesterday when we were talking 646 00:33:44,320 --> 00:33:48,000 Speaker 2: about like getting people an opportunity to know players and 647 00:33:48,080 --> 00:33:51,400 Speaker 2: know the game before right now, like right now, women's 648 00:33:51,400 --> 00:33:55,200 Speaker 2: sports is like the thing. Yeah, right, Women's basketball is 649 00:33:55,280 --> 00:33:58,360 Speaker 2: the thing. Right when you look at viewership numbers, you 650 00:33:58,360 --> 00:34:01,360 Speaker 2: could see that NBA view were is actually down this year. 651 00:34:01,880 --> 00:34:05,440 Speaker 2: WNBA viewership is up right, and that's and that's a 652 00:34:05,520 --> 00:34:07,920 Speaker 2: wonderful Yes, please give a clap for that, because that 653 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:12,280 Speaker 2: is how long did we wait to get to this space. 654 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:15,200 Speaker 2: I'm actually thinking it's really funny that we're shading the 655 00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:21,399 Speaker 2: NBA at NBA also, that's hilarious. But is that where 656 00:34:21,440 --> 00:34:23,360 Speaker 2: we are? That's where we are. But I say I 657 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,120 Speaker 2: bring all that to say, there is an opportunity that 658 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:30,160 Speaker 2: is available for us to be able to educate fans 659 00:34:30,360 --> 00:34:32,759 Speaker 2: in New fans right because there's this thing that they 660 00:34:32,760 --> 00:34:34,879 Speaker 2: say we're like, we're gaykeeping I'm like, first of all 661 00:34:34,880 --> 00:34:38,160 Speaker 2: words meeting things. We're not gaykeeping. We are not hindering 662 00:34:38,200 --> 00:34:40,160 Speaker 2: you from buying tickets, we are not hindering you from 663 00:34:40,239 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 2: using Google. You can do whatever you want to do 664 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,520 Speaker 2: in the women's sports space. But there's this thing that 665 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:48,799 Speaker 2: people say, like we're gatekeeping, or that we are not 666 00:34:49,000 --> 00:34:53,719 Speaker 2: welcoming to new women's sports fans WNBA fans specifically, and 667 00:34:53,880 --> 00:34:57,160 Speaker 2: I don't think that's the case. I am one who 668 00:34:57,200 --> 00:35:00,640 Speaker 2: thinks that we are very welcoming to women's basket fans 669 00:35:00,680 --> 00:35:03,960 Speaker 2: and we want people to enjoy the game. We also 670 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:06,839 Speaker 2: want you to respect the history. Right, if you've been 671 00:35:06,840 --> 00:35:10,160 Speaker 2: an NBA fan for five years, you're not gonna come 672 00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,759 Speaker 2: out here talking about John Morant is the goat. You're 673 00:35:13,760 --> 00:35:16,160 Speaker 2: gonna be like, wait a minute, did you forget like 674 00:35:16,560 --> 00:35:21,000 Speaker 2: all the people before you know what I mean, you've 675 00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:24,120 Speaker 2: playing Wait the contest? You do forget Vince car existed? 676 00:35:24,239 --> 00:35:24,880 Speaker 2: Like what do we do? 677 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:25,480 Speaker 5: You know what I mean? 678 00:35:25,520 --> 00:35:28,080 Speaker 2: Like, there are things, there are levels. There are levels 679 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:31,839 Speaker 2: there hello, Like there are levels to how we get here. 680 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:35,640 Speaker 2: And I think our issue all the pun intended on that, 681 00:35:35,680 --> 00:35:38,239 Speaker 2: by the way, but I think that there are there 682 00:35:38,280 --> 00:35:42,200 Speaker 2: are Our issue has just simply been before we got 683 00:35:42,239 --> 00:35:44,920 Speaker 2: to where we are in twenty twenty five. There was 684 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 2: a whole slew of people that came from nineteen ninety 685 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:52,640 Speaker 2: seven to this point, and that slew of people have 686 00:35:52,760 --> 00:35:57,879 Speaker 2: to be recognized and respected, and those stories aren't being 687 00:35:58,000 --> 00:36:01,760 Speaker 2: told enough to wear new Fans have to be open 688 00:36:01,880 --> 00:36:04,959 Speaker 2: to wanting to listen and learn those stories, and it 689 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,120 Speaker 2: it definitely has a part with coverage. We know coverage 690 00:36:08,160 --> 00:36:12,239 Speaker 2: was different than and investment was different than than it 691 00:36:12,280 --> 00:36:16,280 Speaker 2: is now. But it's available. Like you can YouTube previous 692 00:36:16,320 --> 00:36:19,560 Speaker 2: All Star games. You can YouTube, and you can't google 693 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:22,360 Speaker 2: you know where we started, how we got here. You 694 00:36:22,440 --> 00:36:25,400 Speaker 2: cant google that nineteen ninety six Olympic team, you know 695 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:27,560 Speaker 2: what I mean. Like, I was so excited to see 696 00:36:27,560 --> 00:36:30,839 Speaker 2: that doc Cheryl that thirty for thirty. It was so 697 00:36:31,160 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 2: good and I'm just like, this is my childhood in 698 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:36,240 Speaker 2: front of me. Not to make you feel the way, 699 00:36:36,440 --> 00:36:40,600 Speaker 2: but I was like, I was like, yeah, I was 700 00:36:40,640 --> 00:36:42,960 Speaker 2: actually flexing low key. I was like, hey, y'all, see. 701 00:36:42,840 --> 00:36:47,680 Speaker 3: Cheryl, that's my girl, My girl, you got speed. 702 00:36:47,840 --> 00:36:49,399 Speaker 2: You know what I'm saying. I was like, oh, y'all 703 00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 2: see Dawn, I'm about to text my girl. But it's 704 00:36:53,760 --> 00:36:56,560 Speaker 2: just like those stories have to be told in order 705 00:36:56,680 --> 00:37:01,319 Speaker 2: for folks to understand why we're so pretty detective of 706 00:37:01,360 --> 00:37:05,319 Speaker 2: the game and why we will continue to be protective 707 00:37:05,600 --> 00:37:08,120 Speaker 2: of this space. It's not one that we're going to 708 00:37:08,239 --> 00:37:10,759 Speaker 2: let people enter with false narratives. It's one that we 709 00:37:10,800 --> 00:37:12,840 Speaker 2: want you to come and enjoy, but we want you 710 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,640 Speaker 2: to come and enjoy with a clear vision of were 711 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:16,640 Speaker 2: and how we got here. 712 00:37:16,719 --> 00:37:19,120 Speaker 1: Yeah, because we we want you to come and be 713 00:37:19,200 --> 00:37:23,560 Speaker 1: a part of something we've been building from day one, right, 714 00:37:23,680 --> 00:37:28,919 Speaker 1: and to be excited about it and to support the league, right. 715 00:37:29,280 --> 00:37:32,000 Speaker 5: And it's so okay for you to have a favorite player. 716 00:37:32,040 --> 00:37:35,320 Speaker 1: We all do, right, Asia Wilson is my favorite player, 717 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:38,000 Speaker 1: h get away? 718 00:37:38,080 --> 00:37:38,640 Speaker 2: Yeah right. 719 00:37:39,040 --> 00:37:41,000 Speaker 1: But I just because I want to tell this story 720 00:37:41,040 --> 00:37:44,759 Speaker 1: real quickly before I have to go. So I went 721 00:37:44,920 --> 00:37:48,319 Speaker 1: this morning to do a toast for Asia Wilson, who's 722 00:37:48,320 --> 00:37:51,279 Speaker 1: getting her own signature shoe finally, and what I said 723 00:37:51,320 --> 00:37:55,439 Speaker 1: to her was yeah, seriously, yes, But what I said 724 00:37:55,480 --> 00:37:58,319 Speaker 1: to her was, Sabrina and Escu has a shoe. But 725 00:37:58,920 --> 00:38:05,560 Speaker 1: Asia Wilson the first black female in thirty years since 726 00:38:05,600 --> 00:38:11,200 Speaker 1: I got my shoes. But you know's what's really interesting 727 00:38:11,239 --> 00:38:14,759 Speaker 1: about this moment where we are and it's not just 728 00:38:14,840 --> 00:38:18,160 Speaker 1: Asia but Sabrina with a shoe and Asian with a shoe, 729 00:38:18,239 --> 00:38:22,720 Speaker 1: and Caitlyn getting a shoe, Like that's a real thing. 730 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:23,200 Speaker 2: Now. 731 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:26,439 Speaker 1: Back in the day in nineteen ninety seven, when Nike 732 00:38:26,560 --> 00:38:29,200 Speaker 1: gave me my first shoe, people looked at them like, 733 00:38:29,320 --> 00:38:32,480 Speaker 1: what in the hell are y'all thinking getting a female. 734 00:38:32,160 --> 00:38:32,920 Speaker 5: Her own shoe. 735 00:38:33,440 --> 00:38:35,239 Speaker 1: No one's gonna buy it, no one's gonna wear it. 736 00:38:35,760 --> 00:38:39,560 Speaker 1: But like Nike thought outside the box. And now you 737 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:43,759 Speaker 1: have all these different brands and people right that are like, oh, 738 00:38:43,760 --> 00:38:46,840 Speaker 1: women's basketball is the thing. So I was telling Asia 739 00:38:47,200 --> 00:38:50,439 Speaker 1: in ninety seven when I signed with Nike, Nike didn't 740 00:38:50,440 --> 00:38:52,880 Speaker 1: even have a women's sports marketing division. 741 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:56,919 Speaker 5: It was just like a here you go, here's the room. 742 00:38:57,000 --> 00:38:58,000 Speaker 2: Do what you gotta do with it. 743 00:38:58,400 --> 00:39:01,560 Speaker 1: And so what really excites me today about where we 744 00:39:01,640 --> 00:39:04,959 Speaker 1: are is it's not just the things that the women 745 00:39:05,000 --> 00:39:08,000 Speaker 1: are getting on the court. You have all these women 746 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:11,759 Speaker 1: and brands who are saying we see you, we hear you, 747 00:39:12,320 --> 00:39:16,239 Speaker 1: we need you. So you have the Angel Reeses, the 748 00:39:16,320 --> 00:39:20,560 Speaker 1: Caitlin Clarks, the DJ Carrington's, the Rakia Jackson's, the Asia 749 00:39:20,680 --> 00:39:25,160 Speaker 1: like doing things that we only could dream of. 750 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:28,319 Speaker 5: And my very first. 751 00:39:28,360 --> 00:39:31,560 Speaker 1: Nike contract when I signed in ninety seven was like 752 00:39:31,560 --> 00:39:34,560 Speaker 1: one hundred and seventy five thousand dollars wow, which then 753 00:39:34,640 --> 00:39:37,759 Speaker 1: I was like, oh my god, I've made it. And 754 00:39:37,880 --> 00:39:41,160 Speaker 1: today to see a player like an Asia and a 755 00:39:41,239 --> 00:39:49,400 Speaker 1: Kaitlin Clark signing a twenty million dollar contract, yeah, Like, 756 00:39:50,719 --> 00:39:52,560 Speaker 1: I don't even know what to say about that, because 757 00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,480 Speaker 1: I never thought that I would see this day when 758 00:39:56,520 --> 00:39:59,040 Speaker 1: we started the w back at ninety seven, where we're 759 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:03,000 Speaker 1: sitting here actually talking about how far the game has 760 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:08,320 Speaker 1: come and these million dollar contracts that female basketball players 761 00:40:08,320 --> 00:40:12,440 Speaker 1: are now signing. That's what ninety seven to where we 762 00:40:12,480 --> 00:40:15,000 Speaker 1: are today, that's what it was for us. It was 763 00:40:15,080 --> 00:40:18,960 Speaker 1: about being able to be in this moment and share 764 00:40:19,040 --> 00:40:23,240 Speaker 1: in this moment with everything that women's basketball is experiencing today. 765 00:40:23,320 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 2: Yeah. 766 00:40:23,640 --> 00:40:25,719 Speaker 4: And I was gonna say, from a media perspective, I'm 767 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:32,760 Speaker 4: so grateful for iheartwomen's sports sad Back, because even seven 768 00:40:32,880 --> 00:40:36,600 Speaker 4: years ago, it was just so unheard of right to 769 00:40:36,680 --> 00:40:39,480 Speaker 4: have a network like this exists where you can have 770 00:40:39,880 --> 00:40:45,240 Speaker 4: women's sports programming every single day, available shows, available, opportunities 771 00:40:45,239 --> 00:40:47,279 Speaker 4: available for people in the media to be able to 772 00:40:47,320 --> 00:40:50,480 Speaker 4: amplify the stories of these athletes. And now that the 773 00:40:50,520 --> 00:40:53,439 Speaker 4: game is growing and the momentum is you know, picking up, 774 00:40:53,880 --> 00:40:58,200 Speaker 4: we have iHeart women's sports. We have just women's sports, 775 00:40:58,480 --> 00:41:01,520 Speaker 4: the wnba W Slam, overtime. 776 00:41:01,120 --> 00:41:02,040 Speaker 2: Women's basketball. 777 00:41:02,520 --> 00:41:05,759 Speaker 4: You see people are starting to invest and not see 778 00:41:05,800 --> 00:41:06,200 Speaker 4: it as a. 779 00:41:06,280 --> 00:41:08,080 Speaker 3: Charity or I'm supporting women. 780 00:41:21,360 --> 00:41:24,480 Speaker 2: As we get ready to wrap up here, we just 781 00:41:24,520 --> 00:41:27,880 Speaker 2: have to take a couple of things away from this 782 00:41:27,960 --> 00:41:30,919 Speaker 2: conversation on our podcast. This is what we call leveling off, 783 00:41:31,440 --> 00:41:35,120 Speaker 2: where we one want to make sure that when we 784 00:41:35,239 --> 00:41:37,880 Speaker 2: leave here and we see our media people, when we 785 00:41:37,920 --> 00:41:40,719 Speaker 2: see our athletes, and we see folks who really work 786 00:41:40,719 --> 00:41:43,279 Speaker 2: hard in this industry, you just understand like there are 787 00:41:43,280 --> 00:41:46,319 Speaker 2: two sides of everyone, right, there's the professional side and 788 00:41:46,360 --> 00:41:48,440 Speaker 2: there's the chill side. And this is really just my 789 00:41:48,480 --> 00:41:50,200 Speaker 2: disclaimer that if you see me at a party later, 790 00:41:50,239 --> 00:41:51,719 Speaker 2: don't be coming around me talking about I see you, 791 00:41:52,480 --> 00:41:58,400 Speaker 2: No you blank? That was that was Teresa Fosters. Tea 792 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:00,480 Speaker 2: got a drink in a hand, Let me alone. Okay, 793 00:42:01,000 --> 00:42:05,600 Speaker 2: that's that. But also just keep keep an open mind 794 00:42:05,640 --> 00:42:09,480 Speaker 2: on inclusivity when it comes to how people receive women 795 00:42:09,719 --> 00:42:12,160 Speaker 2: women's sports and that everything that we have to do 796 00:42:12,280 --> 00:42:16,839 Speaker 2: is different, right, every every approach to specifically the W 797 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:20,560 Speaker 2: is different. Like, we love to continue to see how 798 00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,680 Speaker 2: much W players are getting love, even this weekend at 799 00:42:23,800 --> 00:42:27,920 Speaker 2: NBA All Star, the activations, the amount of people that 800 00:42:28,000 --> 00:42:30,640 Speaker 2: are excited. I mean, we had Tiffany Hayes on the 801 00:42:30,640 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 2: show yesterday part of the Going and Stay Valkyries. The 802 00:42:34,880 --> 00:42:38,680 Speaker 2: league is expanding and so all of these new opportunities 803 00:42:38,719 --> 00:42:41,960 Speaker 2: are happening, and we love to see how fans are 804 00:42:42,000 --> 00:42:46,280 Speaker 2: embracing these women and embracing this new opportunity for women. 805 00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:49,920 Speaker 2: But also understand, even in those things, there are still 806 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:54,719 Speaker 2: some some very small but significant differences in how we 807 00:42:54,840 --> 00:42:57,600 Speaker 2: discuss women and how we talk about women. Even something 808 00:42:57,719 --> 00:43:03,839 Speaker 2: is incident, you're here, I could be a snack, but 809 00:43:03,880 --> 00:43:05,839 Speaker 2: can I not be a snack in my job? 810 00:43:05,960 --> 00:43:06,600 Speaker 3: You know what I'm saying. 811 00:43:07,320 --> 00:43:12,000 Speaker 2: I'm a do you know? Do you guys know who 812 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:18,480 Speaker 2: I am? But yeah, Like it's just it's just there's 813 00:43:18,480 --> 00:43:21,000 Speaker 2: a there's a way that we discussed that we talk about. 814 00:43:21,000 --> 00:43:23,360 Speaker 2: I mean, even as far as something as being a 815 00:43:23,400 --> 00:43:26,040 Speaker 2: mom and being a basketball player, right, Like it's something 816 00:43:26,040 --> 00:43:28,640 Speaker 2: that we don't discuss. We don't discuss dads having to 817 00:43:28,680 --> 00:43:31,000 Speaker 2: not be home at Christmas or notving to you know, 818 00:43:31,160 --> 00:43:32,839 Speaker 2: not be not that they don't do it or don't 819 00:43:32,880 --> 00:43:34,680 Speaker 2: have to think about it, but it's just not something 820 00:43:34,719 --> 00:43:37,360 Speaker 2: that's discussed. It's normal, right for a woman to have 821 00:43:37,400 --> 00:43:40,160 Speaker 2: to be pregnant, play basketball, miss games, have to go 822 00:43:40,160 --> 00:43:43,480 Speaker 2: on the back, breastfeed, come back out. You remember Ada Dia. 823 00:43:43,360 --> 00:43:48,719 Speaker 4: Barnes two seasons pregnant, Yes, and made the all start and. 824 00:43:50,400 --> 00:43:51,000 Speaker 2: The playoffs. 825 00:43:51,080 --> 00:43:51,279 Speaker 4: Yes. 826 00:43:51,480 --> 00:43:54,000 Speaker 2: Yes. Kim Calwell just quite literally had a baby and 827 00:43:54,040 --> 00:43:56,839 Speaker 2: a week later she was back out there for Tennessee coaching. Like, 828 00:43:56,920 --> 00:44:01,200 Speaker 2: these are the kinds of incredible women that we have 829 00:44:01,320 --> 00:44:03,279 Speaker 2: in this space, and so we just have to think 830 00:44:03,320 --> 00:44:05,440 Speaker 2: about how we cover them and how we celebrate them 831 00:44:05,440 --> 00:44:09,680 Speaker 2: differently than we do. But at the end of the day, 832 00:44:09,719 --> 00:44:13,000 Speaker 2: I have really enjoyed this conversation with both of you. 833 00:44:13,520 --> 00:44:15,560 Speaker 2: I hope that all of you guys take a moment 834 00:44:15,840 --> 00:44:18,600 Speaker 2: to pull out your phones and follow levels to this 835 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:23,319 Speaker 2: on all of your podcasting where that's Apple Podcasts, iheartpod 836 00:44:24,640 --> 00:44:28,640 Speaker 2: Spotify also in case you missed it, with Christina Williams. 837 00:44:29,600 --> 00:44:32,000 Speaker 2: Every week she has incredible guests on to keep you 838 00:44:32,120 --> 00:44:34,880 Speaker 2: updated on what you may have missed in the women's 839 00:44:34,880 --> 00:44:38,480 Speaker 2: Sports Space and Cheryl, what are you getting ready to 840 00:44:38,520 --> 00:44:41,560 Speaker 2: go do? I gotta go. Sorry, my son is in 841 00:44:41,600 --> 00:44:44,080 Speaker 2: the G League slam dunk contests, so I gotta go. 842 00:44:44,480 --> 00:44:50,080 Speaker 2: I gotta go, y'all. Thanks for being here, Bye Sarah. 843 00:44:53,280 --> 00:44:57,160 Speaker 1: Listen to Levels to This on America's number one podcast network, 844 00:44:57,280 --> 00:45:00,560 Speaker 1: iHeart Open your free iHeart app and search Levels to 845 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:04,000 Speaker 1: This with Sheryl Swoops and Tureka Foster Brasbee and start listening.